Start, F2 sprint race, Sochi Autodrom, 2019

F2 sprint race red-flagged after heavy first-lap crash

Formula 2

Posted on

| Written by

The Formula 2 sprint race at the Sochi Autodrom has been red-flagged following a heavy crash on the first lap of the race.

Pole sitter Nikita Mazepin and Nobuharu Matsushita, who started third, collided at the entry to turn three. Mazepin went off at turn two where he collided with Jack Aitken.

Mazepin’s car then made contact with Matsushita’s, which sent the Carlin car into the TecPro barrier on the outside of the corner. It was then dealt a second blow by the rear of Mazepin’s car.

The race was immediately red-flagged following the crash.

The championship has advised that both drivers have been taken to hospital but neither have suffered any fractures. The race will restart at 12:15 local time with the race distance reduced from 21 laps to 15.

Don't miss anything new from RaceFans

Follow RaceFans on social media:

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Formula Two

Browse all Formula 2 articles

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

5 comments on “F2 sprint race red-flagged after heavy first-lap crash”

  1. Hope botht drivers are ok.

  2. Yet ANOTHER crash caused by drivers going at speed off the track. How long we going to let this carry on for FIA? Is one death so far this season not enough?

    1. Correct me if I am wrong but it seems this was also caused by the way the drivers have to re-join the track.

      Am I right in saying that there are two different ways a driver could end up re-joining? And then they are funneled into the same spot?..at speed. That’s just an accident waiting to happen. Honestly, who’s even in charge of that…

  3. I would give Mazepin a race ban for this. You can rejoin the track only if you go through both of those “gates” on left side. He just simply didn’t make the first one causing him hitting Aitken and lately Matsushita. This was really dangerous and definitely unnecesary

  4. Racing off track. There should be immediate 1 race bans for this.

Comments are closed.